CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death remote hiking area, Aug 2021

[Speculaytor]

Yes. That’s why one local described it as a beautiful, happy place but with a dark side.
The Yosemite Murders

Oh wow, the lodge is at the start of the trail where the family was found.. At least the switchbacks start there . I remember this case.

 

[RickshawFan]

Capsules can be opened and the contents mixed in with food or dissolved in water. I have had to do that for my dog who would not swallow a capsule even if it was wrapped in cheese. She would lick all the cheese off and spit the capsule out. So I slipped the capsule open, sprinkled the contents on her favorite food, and mission accomplished!

This recipe, and add sugar to take out the bitterness. Works every time. You're right, it would be so easy to dissolve this in the water, or if they had Gatorade or something.

 

[Knox]

Actually, I did mention that a cell phone was found in his pocket. They were at a part of the trail where there is virtually no cellular service, and satellite phones had to be used. They (Sheriff's office) advised that they would be searching phones to ascertain of any texts had been attempted, or pictures taken, etc. It appeared that there was no indication that there had been, however.

Thank you, could you direct me to where the Sheriff said there was no indication?

 

[katydid23]

The autopsy hasn’t shown anything. There are plenty of signs of heat stroke, cerebral oedema, rhabdomyolysis etc. They state it’s shown nothing. No carbon monoxide
Nada.
As a Brit the one thing that creams at me is no Lancashire man would go out hiking on a hot day. And no caring parents would take there baby willingly
Somethings fishy

They may have gone on the hike early in the day when it is not so hot. But something happened to delay their return?

 

[happyday]

The autopsy hasn’t shown anything. There are plenty of signs of heat stroke, cerebral oedema, rhabdomyolysis etc. They state it’s shown nothing. No carbon monoxide
Nada.
As a Brit the one thing that creams at me is no Lancashire man would go out hiking on a hot day. And no caring parents would take there baby willingly
Somethings fishy

I’ve heard different things about determining a heat related death. In another recent thread we learned that there is no definitive sign—that heat stroke is determined by a process of elimination. But some on this thread have said that a heat stroke will be determined on autopsy. I don’t know much about it but I’m wondering if anyone is in the know on these things, which is correct?

 

[legalmomma]

The autopsy hasn’t shown anything. There are plenty of signs of heat stroke, cerebral oedema, rhabdomyolysis etc. They state it’s shown nothing. No carbon monoxide
Nada.
As a Brit the one thing that creams at me is no Lancashire man would go out hiking on a hot day. And no caring parents would take there baby willingly
Somethings fishy

There has been no autopsy just an "initial autopsy" which looks like a visual one.

The Mariposa County Coroner is awaiting toxicology results from the bodies, which could take a few weeks.
Initial Autopsy on Family of 3 Mysteriously Found Dead on Hiking Trail Turns Up No Clues

Do you have more information on an actual autopsy?

 

[RickshawFan]

Oh wow, the lodge is at the start of the trail where the family was found.. At least the switchbacks start there . I remember this case.

IIRC the lodge was in El Portal, right near the entrance to Yosemite. This trail is far in the backcountry AFAIK.

 

[Tink60]

I would guess it would be something odorless/tasteless in the water source they brought as the preliminary autopsy looked for puncture marks (needle) and certainly stomach contents would include pills casings?

Years ago I was at Mammoth going up a trail when there was a large group of people coming down in a rush. It was a Sunday and they had spent the weekend camping around one of the mountain lakes (not the Mammoth Lakes.) One of the women was carrying a limp baby girl about a year old, mother said that she was suffering from heat exhaustion (and probably altitude sickness). Father carried the two backpacks. It was 89 but because of the altitude one is closer to the sun so it feels even hotter.

I realize altitude was not a problem here.

From what I remember from when I had heat exhaustion/ heat stroke it came on very quickly and incapacitated me very quickly. Almost an out of body experience. I sat down and for the life of me could not move my muscles. Luckily I was found by some other hikers and was rescued.

 

[annpats]

As a Brit the one thing that creams at me is no Lancashire man would go out hiking on a hot day.

You're right. No British person in their right mind would be able to bear that heat for very long, much less willingly hike in it. Anything over 25°C sends us into a panic.

But I can't decide whether going out and hiking there, in that heat, was a catastrophic error of judgement or something else.......

 

[Megnut]

Alternately...if they'd reached an interior point and the baby was in distress, dad may have outrun mom, trying to get to a place of phone reception and AC.... too late, baby dies of heatstroke.... dad has to rest, sits down, dies from heatstoke exacerbated by exertion.... mom is trying to catch up. Dies before reaching them...

Was she closer to their car or farther?

Though they were all close together, I don't think they all died at the same moment. The baby and the dog and the dad, closest together but that's only IMO a function of the baby being carried and the dog possibly tethered (or loyal till the end). Four different times of death. In three different places.

JMO

 

[Andreee]

Alternately...if they'd reached an interior point and the baby was in distress, dad may have outrun mom, trying to get to a place of phone reception and AC.... too late, baby dies of heatstroke.... dad has to rest, sits down, dies from heatstoke exacerbated by exertion.... mom is trying to catch up. Dies before reaching them...

Was she closer to their car or farther?

Though they were all close together, I don't think they all died at the same moment. The baby and the dog and the dad, closest together but that's only IMO a function of the baby being carried and the dog possibly tethered (or loyal till the end). Four different times of death. In three different places.

JMO

That sounds like a very possible scenario. I got the impression the mom was found midway on an incline and LE did say they thought the family were headed back. So I assumed she was ahead of the family, but could've been behind as well of course.

 

[TailSpin]

I'm not sure the murder-suicide angle makes sense. There's plenty of evidence that everything was going well for the couple, and even if one of them had somehow planned this, there would have been easier ways to do this.

I would expect a lightning strike to leave some physical evidence and the body placement does not fit a sudden death event.

I would also expect that if the water in the bladder was tainted that it would not have affected everyone at the same time. It may have contributed to their plight but not ultimately the cause of death.

The only explanation that rings true to me is heat exhaustion/heat stroke. It is odd that the dog would have also died from this but it could be explained if the dog was leashed or unwilling to leave the side of his master.

 

[Snoopster]

That sounds like a very possible scenario. I got the impression the mom was found midway on an incline and LE did say they thought the family were headed back. So I assumed she was ahead of the family, but could've been behind as well of course.

Continuing with this scenario... perhaps mom caught up with them only to see baby dead and dad collapsed and unable to continue in his grief and suffering heatstroke. Mom tries and tried to get him up, but she's already exhausted. She realizes she has to get to the vehicle, but she simply can't climb the hill any further as she is exhausted and filled with grief as well. She collapses after only a few steps.

 

[Snoopster]

My current sense of likelihood, in order of probability:

1) Heatstroke. (By far my leading theory.)
2) Intentional murder/suicide through poisoning, likely through the water bladder. Although, why wait so long into the trail? Did the poison only get inserted after a certain point? You would only want to use a fast-acting poison so as to control the situation. The poisoner would ensure the other partner drank enough before they did, and then they themselves would drink more to complete the suicide part of the plan.
3) Intentional joint suicide. Why wait until that late in the trail? Why be heading back to the vehicle? Why was mom apart from the others? This seems like a real longshot.
4) Other natural factor. Accidental poisoning? But how? Did they run out of water and used water from the river? If so, wouldn't it take longer to suffer the effects? Swimming in the river? Is there even enough water to swim in at this time of year? Lightening...I just don't see it as at least one of the victims would have some physical evidence on their body as they weren't in one tight group.
5) Murder by a stranger. Almost zero possibility as there is no physical sign of murder in any of them. What would the movtive be?

 

[Andreee]

Continuing with this scenario... perhaps mom caught up with them only to see baby dead and dad collapsed and unable to continue in his grief and suffering heatstroke. Mom tries and tried to get him up, but she's already exhausted. She realizes she has to get to the vehicle, but she simply can't climb the hill any further as she is exhausted and filled with grief as well. She collapses after only a few steps.

Just devastating all the way around!

 

[MizStery]

Deaths of Google engineer husband, wife and baby found dead with dog on California hike are being treated as a HOMICIDE: Cops refocus investigation after initially treating the scene as a 'hazmat situation'

• Jonathan Gerrish, wife Ellen Chung, their one-year-old daughter Muji and the family dog were found dead on Tuesday a day after being reported missing
• Police are now investigating the deaths as a homicide after initially treating the scene as a hazmat scene until Wednesday
• Authorities are awaiting the results of the autopsy and toxicology reports
• The family were discovered Tuesday in Devil's Gulch, Sierra National Forest
• Police were exploring the possibility that they were poisoned by algae or gasses from mines but could not find any disused shafts in the vicinity
• Forest officials last month warned about 'extremely dangerous' algae blooms

By ADRIANA DIAZ FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 10:18 EDT, 21 August 2021 | UPDATED: 17:52 EDT, 21 August 2021
Deaths of husband, wife and baby are being treated as a homicide | Daily Mail Online

 

[Deleted member 292879]

Does anyone know how/why the deputy in the sheriff’s office would know that they’d recently purchased a house near the trail? That detail is odd to me. He had a hunch and went up to the trail that night. But how did he know about the house?

 

[Snoopster]

Deaths of Google engineer husband, wife and baby found dead with dog on California hike are being treated as a HOMICIDE: Cops refocus investigation after initially treating the scene as a 'hazmat situation'

• Jonathan Gerrish, wife Ellen Chung, their one-year-old daughter Muji and the family dog were found dead on Tuesday a day after being reported missing
• Police are now investigating the deaths as a homicide after initially treating the scene as a hazmat scene until Wednesday
• Authorities are awaiting the results of the autopsy and toxicology reports
• The family were discovered Tuesday in Devil's Gulch, Sierra National Forest
• Police were exploring the possibility that they were poisoned by algae or gasses from mines but could not find any disused shafts in the vicinity
• Forest officials last month warned about 'extremely dangerous' algae blooms

By ADRIANA DIAZ FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Deaths of husband, wife and baby are being treated as a homicide | Daily Mail Online

Typical Daily Mail. LE are treating it as such so that they don't overlook clues on the chance it is a homicide. They aren't saying that they believe it is a homicide.

'So right now, we're treating the coroner investigation as a homicide until we can establish the cause.'

 

[Knox]

Does anyone know how/why the deputy in the sheriff’s office would know that they’d recently purchased a house near the trail? That detail is odd to me. He had a hunch and went up to the trail that night. But how did he know about the house?

They went to the house to take the missing person's call. The nanny showed up Monday morning and no one was there, she called the house manager and one of them made the call to MCSO, I think later that evening/night.

 

[Speculaytor]

IIRC the lodge was in El Portal, right near the entrance to Yosemite. This trail is far in the backcountry AFAIK.

They are closer than you think, it is a loop including Hite Cove Trail, Hite Mines Rd, and Highway 140 (Yosemite Highway). The Hite Cove Trail ends and turns into Hite Mines road which has the switchbacks that the family was found by (see screenshot below). Hite Mines Rd leads right to the Cedar Lodge in El Portal.